A young researcher shares how Manomet’s Small Grants helped launch her project.
Do you have an idea to protect shorebirds but don’t know where to start? Sometimes, a small push can turn a dream into reality. That’s exactly what the Manomet Small Grants Program for Shorebird Conservation in the Neotropics is all about: supporting young conservationists and researchers so their projects can take off and contribute to the protection of shorebirds and their habitats across the Neotropics.
Shorebirds in the Neotropics depend on key habitats to rest, feed, and breed. Many of these places have not been thoroughly studied, which makes their conservation more difficult.
One of the projects selected in the 2023 call was led by María Florencia Padrón from Argentina. She set out to study the Coyle River Estuary, a little-known site in Patagonia that may be vital for shorebirds. Her research aims to generate the information needed to nominate the area as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site and to advance its potential legal protection.
Left: The team helping Florencia during her fieldwork. Right: A sample of one of the challenges of working in the area. Photos: Florencia Padrón.
We asked Florencia about her experience:
How does this program contribute to shorebird conservation in your country or region?
This program helps increase our knowledge of a site for which very little information exists. The data we generate will support the nomination of the site to WHSRN and help build the case for its legal protection.
Which key parts of your project were supported by the Small Grants Program?
The funding covered travel expenses to the site, which allowed for more frequent field visits and a stronger presence in the study area.
What impact did the program have on your personal and professional development?
It had a huge impact. I learned how to lead a project. Although I had participated in similar work before, this was the first time I took the lead: I prepared the proposal, planned the fieldwork, searched for new access routes, and learned to overcome both weather and terrain-related challenges.
What would you say to someone considering applying?
A desert is made up of tiny grains of sand. The Small Grants can be that first step in your personal and professional growth, and the foundation for conserving that place or species that inspires you, sparks your curiosity, or keeps you up at night.
Left: A flock of American Oystercatchers by the shore. Right: A sample of one of the challenges of working in the area. Photo: Florencia Padron. Right: Florencia Padrón looking for shorebirds in intertidal zones. Photo: Mariel Quinteros
Your project can make a difference too
If you have an idea to conserve shorebirds in the Neotropics, the Manomet Small Grants Program for Shorebird Conservation in the Neotropics can be your first step toward making it a reality.
The application is open until April 30, 2025.
Learn more and apply here.
Don’t miss the chance to apply and let your passion for shorebirds take flight!
Cover Photo: Intertidal zones in Coyle River Estuary. Photo: Mariel Quinteros.
